Polishing-machine.



J. F. GAIL.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED jumszz. 1914.

1,148,768. I Patented Aug". 3,1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. C.

J. F. GAIL.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1914. ama.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

"WITHIJ w raa fW' 5 0 1.0% ii? i COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH COUWASHINIJTON. D- C- .I. F. GAIL.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, IBM.

1,148,768. mama Aug. 3,1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

In x I N 411 jib I E E SI x N $1 H I Q N I? 45: M I I U I I 64 I I I I a 'H I I III l 3 I N \I J. F. GAIL.

POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22.1914.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMB-IA PLANOORAPILCDu WASHINGTON, D- C- JOHN F. GAIL, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

POLISHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3,1915.

Application filed June 22, 1914. Serial No. 846,471. 4

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. GAIL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Kenosha, county of Kenosha, and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Polishing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in polishing machines in general, and particularly to a type of polishing machine employing as an abrading member a flexible band coated with abradant material.

Among the salient objects of the invention are, to provide a machine in which a succession of objects to be polished are car ried into the field of a relatively stationary flexible band having an abrasive surface; to provide a machine of the type referred to in which the objects to be polished are mounted upon a continuously moving carrier which carries the objects successively into the field of an abrasive band arranged longitudinally of the direction of travel of the parts; to provide in a machine of the class described improved means for rotating the parts while in the field of the polishing member; to provide in a machine of the class described simple and convenient means for applying the objects to the carrier and for holding them securely while being operated upon; to provide novel and improved mechanism for automatically arresting the rotation of the objects after they have been carried out of the field of the abrading member for a period of time long enough to permit the disengaging'of the completed object and the application of a rough object which is to be polished; to provide improved and automatic release mechanism for disengaging the completed objects from their supports after they have been operated upon and at a suitable delivery point in their travel; to provide a machine of the class described in which the objects to be operated upon are successively carried into the field of a flexible abrasive member which accommodates itself to the outlines of the work being operated upon; to provide in a machine of the class described improved means for maintaining the abrading band at the proper tension and at a'suitable distance abrading-band.

from the workbeing operated upon; to provide a machine of the class described which shall be practically automatic in operation, simple and economical in construction, and, in general, to provide an improved machine of the character referred to.

In the drawings, Figure l is an end elevation of my improved polishing machine mounted upon a suitable supporting stand;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of aportion of Fig. 2, showing the principal parts in section, to illustrate the operation of the machine; Fig. l is an end elevation of the cam members controlling the rotation of the spindle and the knock-out mechanism; Fig. 5 shows one of the spindle mountings and its supporting bracket carrying the abrading-band idlerpulley; Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, axial section, showing the details of the chuck and knoclcout mechanism; and Fig. 7 is a detail view showing one end of the In the drawings and their description following I have illustrated and described a type of machine which is particularly adapted for polishing the mounts or knobs used as trimmings for brass or iron bedsteads, but it should be understood that the machine may be constructed in various forms, sizes and modifications so as to accommodate work of widely varying character.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents as a whole a solid wooden platform or bench to whichthe base casting 2 of the polishing machine is securely bolted. Mounted upon the base casting 2 are two brackets or pedestals 3 and l, the upper portions of which are provided with journal boxes in proper alinement, forming bearings for the principal rotating members of the machine. The pedestal bracket 4 is provided with a simple split cap-bearing, within which rotates freely the main shaft 5, to which is keyed the rotary spider 6. I The head'of the pedestal 3 is enlarged to form a bearing for the sleeve or quill 7, which surrounds the main shaft 5 and rotates freely thereon. Power to rotate the quill 7 is supplied by a belt 8 engaging the pulley 9, which is keyed to one end of the sleeve 7, and thus drives the pulley designated as a whole 10 which is keyed to the sleeve. This pulley which is keyed to the other end of the quill 7, consists of a circular cast-iron member provided with a circumferential groove or channel within which is secured the driving ring 11, consisting of a series of annular stampings of fiber, paper, or any other material giving a good driving surface. To allow for the insertion of a new set of stampings, the right-hand flange 12 of the wheel 10 is made removable, and when the driving ring is placed in the groove, the whole assembly is securely locked together by means of rivets 13.

Mounted in a suitable bearing bracket at the rear of the pedestal 4 is a cross shaft 14 driven from a suitable source of power by a pulley 15, and belt not shown in the drawings. The cross shaft 14 carries a worm 16 which engages with and drives a gear wheel 17, which is keyed to the shaft 5 and rotates the latter, the Worm and gear being inclosed in a suitable hollow casting 18 in order to facilitate lubrication and to prevent noise and loss of oil. Circumferentially spaced around the exterior of the spider casting 6 are milled a series of flat seats 19, to each of which is bolted one of the brackets 20. The latter comprises the stationary portion of each spindle unit, and at its front end is slotted out to admit the hinged lug 21 of the spindle mounting 22. The lug 21 is drilled out so as to hinge freely upon the pin 23, which is securely driven into the bracket 20. In order to prevent the hinge and pin just referred to from being subjected to undue lateral strain, the bracket 20 is furnished with a pair of upstanding lugs 24 accurately milled out on their opposed faces so as to form a sliding bearing for the back end of the spindle mounting.

Describing now the details of the spindle mechanism, the mounting 22 is bored out longitudinally so as to furnish a bearing for the hollow shaft 25. The latter rotates freely in the member 22 and is driven from the disk 11 by a small pulley 26 securely keyed to its rear end; pressure between the pulley 26 and driving ring 11 being maintained through a spring 27, one end of which is attached to the boss of the spider 6, and the other end to a pin secured to the rear of the hinged mounting 22. The other end of the spindle 25 carries the mount of knob to be operated upon, and to this end there is inserted, in a hollow aperture in the end of the spindle, a removable plug 28, prevented from rotating in the spindle by a set screw 29 set in the circumference of the shoulder at the end of the spindle. For convenience in manufacture, the plug 28 is obvious that the only operation necessary is to push the mount up along the tapered end of the chuck 32 as far as possible, the resilient end of the latter then holding it securely in place.

The knock-out mechanism consists of a central pin 35 which passes through a longitudinal hole in the plug 28 and of small enough diameter to pass through the open end of the chuck 32. The knock-out pin 35 is normally retracted by means of a spring 36, one end of which presses against a shoulder 37 on the inside of the rotary spindle 25, and the other end engages an enlarged portion at the back end of the plunger, which is prevented from flying out of the spindle by the cap 38 closing the open end of the sleeve 25.

At the extreme end of the plunger 35 is a longitudinal extension 39, which slides freely in a hole in the disk 38. The knock out mechanism is controlled by a quadrant cam 40, which comprises a piece of strap iron concentric with the axis of the main shaft and mounted at a proper distance from the latter so as to engage the end 39 of the knock-out plunger. The surface of the quadrant cam 40 is inclined in a direction axial to the main shaft so as to gradually push out the plunger 35 in a self-evident manner as the spider 6 rotates. The outer end of the knock-out pin striking the end of the knob or mount, thus disengages it from the chuck, and it falls into the box 41. To permit the application of a new mount after the finished one has been released from the spindle, I provide a cam member 42, which is secured in place to the pedestal 3 on a bracket 43 at the proper distance from the center of the shaft 5 so as to engage a pin 44 mounted on an extension lug 45 on the spindle mounting 22. The end 46 of this cam is beveled for a short distance, and as the spider rotates, the pin 44 strikes the inclined surface, and is by it pushed radially outwardly, rotating the whole casting 22 a sufiicien-t amount on its pivot to free the pulley 26 from the driving ring 11, as seen at the bottom of Fig. 3, preventing further rotation of the spindle. The cam 42 is so placed with reference to the cam 40 that the rotation of the spindle is arrested before the mount is disengaged and drops ofl. After the'mount has been disengaged, the pin 39 rides along the smooth cam surface of the cam 40 fora short distance, and then drops off the abrupt edge 47, the knock-out plunger 35 thus returning to its normal position and allowing another mount to be applied to the end of the spindle while the pin 44 is still in engagement with. the cam 42 and while the spindle is idle.

The abrading band, to be described later, is maintained in operative position with relation to the mounts on the ends of the spindles by means of a series of idler pulleys 57 interposed between the spindles. Each of these idler pulleys 57 is rotatably mounted upon a pin 58, which is tightly fixed in a small extension boss 59 projecting from the bracket 20.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 48 and 49 represent a pair of offset bracket arms which form the end mountings for the abrading bands 50. The latter consists of a large number of flexible strings or cords, to the outside of each of which is glued or otherwise similarly applied a quantity of emery powder or other abradant material. The ends of the bunch of strings are held in a pair of clevises 51 and 51. The clevis 51 is provided with a series of springs 52, to each of which is connected a small bunch of the cords making up the abrading band, the other ends of the springs passing around the bolt 53. The clevis 51 is attached to a pin 54 in the upper end of the bracket 48. The ends of the cords on the other side of the machine are not provided with springs, but pass directly around the bolt in the shackle 51, which may be adjusted longitudinally of the band by means of the tensionregulating nut'55, which is threaded on the screw 56 swiveling in the lower end of the shackle 51.

The operation of the machine is extremely simple. It is obvious that, as the pulley 9 rotates, the pulleys 26 driving the spindles also revolve, but at a very much higher speed than the pulley 9, since the diameter of the friction pulley is several times the diameter of the pulleys 26, which it drives. It is obvious also that the reduction gearing will cause the spider 6 to rotate at a relatively low rate of speed, and the spindles will be carried around by the spider, the mounts remaining in contact with the abrading band for a considerable time. After having been in contact with the band for approximately one-half of a complete revolution of the spider, the cam 42 disengages the spindles, which stop spinning, the mounts are punched off by the knock-out cam member 46 operating in conjunction with the plunger 35, and fall into the box 41. All the attendant has'to do is to apply a fresh mount or knob to the end of each spindle shortly after the pin 39 drops off the end 47 of the cam 40, the rest of the operation being entirely automatic. Owing to the large number of individual cords in the abrading band and also because of the flexibility of each individual cord, every portion of the mount or knob being operated upon is given a complete and thorough polish as it is rotated at a high speed by the spindle, and as the wearing surface of the band is being constantly changed by the gradual rotary movement of the spider, the cords are prevented from becoming worn in spots, and last a very long time before requiring replacement. It is manifest that for certain classes of work, for instance where the surfaces of the objects to be polished are comparatively regular in outline, the bunches of abrasive cords may be replaced by a belt having an abrasive surface.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction described or illustrated in the drawings, as my machine is susceptible of many modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling support for holding an object to be operated upon, and an abrading member composed of a plurality of adjacent flexible abrasive strands disposed longitudinally in the field of travel of said object.

:2. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier having a support thereon for holding an object to be polished, and a plurality of flexible independently yieldable abrading members disposed in the path of travel of said object, said abrading members being adapted to operate upon dif ferent portions of the surface of said object.

3. In a polishing machine, the combination of an endless traveling carrier having a succession of work supports thereon, and a plurality of independently yieldable abrasive members longitudinally disposed in the path of travel of said objects and adapted to operate upon each object successively, said abrasive members being adapted to engage different portions of the surface of each obj ect.

4. In a polishing machine, the combination of an endless traveling carrier having a plurality of supports thereon for holding a series of objects to be polished, and a longitudinally and transversely flexible abrading member arranged longitudinally of the direction of the travel of said objects and adapted to be engaged by them during a portion of their travel.

5. In a polishing machine, the combination of a rotary carrier, a work support on said carrier, and a longitudinally flexible abrading member disposed in the path of travel of said object While the latter is on said carrier and adapted to be engaged by said object While on said carrier. v

6. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier, a plurality of Work supports on said carrier for the objects to be operated upon, means for rotating the objects on said supports, and a plurality of independently yieldable abrading strands arranged longitudinally of the direction of travel of and adapted to operate 1 upon diilerent portions of the surface of the objects on said carrier.

7. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier having a series of Work supports thereon for the objects to be polished, and a plurality of flexible abrasive strands arranged longitudinally of the travel of the objects onsaid carrier, each of said strands being adapted to operate contemporaneously on a plurality of said. objects and upon a different portion of the surface of each object. p

8. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a plurality of Work supports mounted and secured thereon for holding a succession of objects to be polished, means for rotating the objects on said supports, and a flexible abrading member adapted to engage contemporaneously a plurality of said objects.

9. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier having a plurality of Work supports permanently secured and mounted thereon for holding the objects to be polished, means for rotating the objects on said supports, and a longitudinally and transversely flexible abrasive member arranged longitudinally of the direction of travel of said objects and adapted to engage contemporaneously and operate upon two or more of said objects.

10. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier having a plurality of Work supports thereon for holding objects to be polished, a longitudinally flexible abrading member adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of said objects, and supporting means for said abrading member associated With said carrier interposed between said Work supports and adapted to travel With said carrier.

11. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier, a succession of supports on said carrier for holding a series of objects to be polished, means for rotating the objects on said supports, a longitudinally flexible abrasive member arranged on the outer periphery of said carrier and having its inner surface adaptedto engage and operate upon the objects on'said supports, and a plurality of supporting members interposed between said Work supports and adapted to rotate 7 aroundthe axis of said carrier and maintain a said abrading member in operative relation,

With the objects on said carrier.

12. Ina polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a series of Work supports thereon for the objects to be polished, means for rotatoperate upon contemporaneously a pluralityof said objects, and a plurality of rotary members interposed between said objects mounted on said carrier and. adapted to maintain the abrading member at a suitabledistance from and in operative engagement With the objects to be polished.

13. In a polishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier having a plurality of Work supports thereon for holding objects to be polished, means for rotating the objects on said supports, an abrasive member adapted to engage said objects during a portion of their travel, and means for arresting the rotation of each of said objects at a predetermined point in the travel there of to permit the removal of a finished object and the application of a rough object to be polished.

1 1. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating spider member having a plurality of Work supports thereon for the objects to be polished, means for rotating said supports, a longitudinally flexible abrading member arranged on the outside of said spider and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of said objects, and means for arrest- 10s ing the rotation of said supports during a,

portion of their travel to permit the substitution of an unfinished object for a finished object.

15. In a pollshing machlne, the combination of a continuously rotating spider member having a plurality of Work supports.

thereon for the objects to be polished, means for rotating said supports, a longitudinally flexible abrading member arranged on the outside of said spider and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of said objects, and means for disengaging the objects from said supports at a predetermined point in their travel;

16. In a polishing machine, thecombina tion of a continuously rotating spider member having a plurality of Work supports thereon for the objects to be polished, means for rotating said supports, a longitudinally fiexible abrading member arranged on the outside of said spider andadapted to engage and operate uponcontemporaneously a plurality of said objects, means for arresting the rotation of said supports during a portion of their travel to permit the substitution of an unfinished for a finished object, and means for disengaging the objects from said supports at a predetermined point in their travel.

17. In apolishing machine, the combination of a traveling carrier moving at a comparatively low speed and having a succession of supports thereon for holding objects to be polished, a flexible abrading member composed of a plurality of abrasive strands adapted to be engaged by said objects in their travel, and means for rotating said objects on said supports at a comparatively high speed.

18. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a plurality of supports thereon for holding the objects to be polished, means for rotating said objects at a comparatively high speed compared to the speed of rotation of said carrier, a longitudinally and transversely flexible abrading member arranged on the outside of the circumference of said carrier and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of the objects on said carrier, and idler pulleys mounted on said carrier between said supports and adapted to maintain said abrading member in operative relation with said objects.

19. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a plurality of supports thereon for holding the objects to be polished, means for rotating said objects at a comparatively high speed compared to the speed of rotation of said carrier, a longitudinally and transversely flexible abrading member arranged on the outside of the circumference of said carrier and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of the objects on said carrier, idler pulleys mounted on said carrier between said supports and adapted to maintain said abrading member in operative relation with said objects, and means for arresting the rotation of said objects during a portion of their travel.

20. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a plurality of supports thereon for holding the objects to be polished, means for rotating said objects at a comparatively high speed compared to the speed of rotation of said carrier, a longitudinally and transversely flexible abrading member arranged on the outside of the circumference of said carrier and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of the objects on said carrier, idler pulleys mounted on said carrier between said supports and adapted to maintain said abrading member in operativerelation with said objects, means for arresting the rotation of said objects during a portion of their travel, and automatic means for disengaging the objects from said supports at a predetermined point in their travel.

21. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a plurality of supports thereon for holding the objects to be polished, means for rotating said objects at a comparatively high speed compared to the speed of rotation of said carrier, a longitudinally and transversely flexible abrading member arranged on the outside of the circumference of said carrier and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of the objects on said carrier, idler pulleys on said carrier between said supports and adapted to maintain said abrading member in operative relation with said objects, automatic means for arresting the rotation of said objects during a portion of their travel, and automatic means for disengaging the objects from said supports at a predetermined point in their travel.

22. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a series of work supports thereon for holding a plurality of objects to be polished, means for rotating said supports at a comparatively high speed compared with the speed of rotation of said carrier, an abrading member composed of a plurality of independently yieldable adjacent strands of flexible material coated with an abrasive substance, arranged on the outside of the periphery of said carrier and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of said objects, and a series of supporting members interposed between said objects and adapted to prevent spreading apart of the strands of said abrading member and to maintain the latter in operative relation with said objects.

23. In a polishing machine, the combination of a continuously rotating carrier having a series of work supports thereon for holding a plurality of objects to be polished, means for rotating said supports at a com paratively high speed compared with the speed of rotation of said carrier, an abrading member composed. of a plurality of independently yieldable adjacent strands of flexible material coated with an abrasive substance, arranged on the outside of the periphery of said carrier and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of said objects, and a series of rotary flanged supporting members interposed between said objects and adapted to prevent spreading apart of the strands of said abrading member and to maintain the latter in operative relation with said objects.

24. In a polishing machine, the combination of a rotary spider, means for rotating said spider at a comparatively loW speed, a driving pulley coaxial with the spider, a plurality of Work supporting spindles mounted on said spider and each provided With a friction pulley, means for effecting operative engagement betweenthe friction pulley and the driving pulley, and a longitudinally flexible abrading member arranged outside 10 of the circumference of said spider member and adapted to engage and operate upon contemporaneously a plurality of said objects.

' JOHN F. GAIL. Witnesses:

J. H. CANTWELL, JOHN BURNS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for in cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentn.

' Washington, D. C. 

